Thursday, April 07, 2011

Riding~How We Do It

When we gather up Fred and Opal it is guaranteed to be a fun ride. This means getting to places you can't normally get too.We are riding the 'old' mules, the 'been there done that' mules.

I've grabbed Opal. She's somewhere around the age of 28...we think. Healthy as a 'horse', hates getting caught, is sometimes ear shy, generally is not a people liking mule...My husband says she is ornery. I think she is 'unique'. If you can get past her flaws, she is a ride to absolutely 'die for'.Almost never refuses, always goes where you point her, and walks with an attitude if you want her too.

Fred has been my husband's mule for eons. Which means we think he is as old as Opal. Fred is of the old school mules, he dislikes getting caught with a passion.I guess at his age, it isn't something that will ever change.He, like Opal will go anywhere he is pointed. Generally somewhere during the ride my husband calls him 'Dammit', but I know Fred surely knows his name is not 'Dammit'.

We went down a trail that leads to the 'lost' valley. The spring rains and erosion had washed out the trail.The gully was about 3 to 4 feet deep and about 3 feet wide.Hmmm.My husband said simply...*Fred, git up.*Fred jumped the gully.I pointed Opal and sat firm and lightly nudged her with a touch.She jumped it and sighed as if to say...Is this the only excitement you have for me?

Further down the trail we had to jump the mules in hand to get them over a large oak that had blown down across the trail in 2007. Easy-peesy for these two 'coon jumping' champs.

We wandered the woods looking for antler sheds.Did we find some? Well one, but it wasn't worth picking up.Did we enjoy ourselves?Yes.Did the mules enjoy themselves?I do have to say that yes they did.

...and for a mule who hates people and is hard to bridle...Opal let me scratch her ears and give them a good rubbing before I put her in the paddock.My husband looked at me and said, *Hmmm, I think she is really a woman's mule after all.*